They don't know the meaning of "small" at 12th Ave Cafe, but they do know delicious. Sarah and Cale told me about this place originally and they were right. It has been hard for me to make it past the vegetarian version of the Montana, which is outstanding, but I have a few times. Today I had a "small" Montana, which fed me for lunch too. It is by far my favorite dish at 12th ave, but the other dishes I've had are quite good. I like the pancakes there actually. They are the thin, stretchy version of pancakes, not fat fluffy ones. The eggs are quite good here too. I like the omelettes, which are actually omelettes instead of scrambled eggs with stuff in them. My son likes the hot chocolate they make too, although it's pretty standard breakfast-joint hot chocolate. It's just good home cookin and nice service here. read more

Ordered breakfast to go recently. The wait was long and the waiting area inside is very cramped. The eggs were cold, the pancakes at McDonald's are better and the potatoes were burnt. I had heard very good things about them and hope it was just a case of "to go" food. read more

Joel's spot on. I LOVE THE MONTANA! The food here is excellent. And yet, the staff is also amazing. My husband and I have been going here for years and they have a very low turn over rate. I've also been amazed at the busboys here. Talk about a study in efficiency and responsibility! I wish every place I went to had such good service. read more

When I first moved to Issaquah, 12th Ave. was THE place to go for breakfast (actually it turns out its one of the two non-chain places to go for breakfast in Issaquah). The restaurant is relatively small and almost always crowded (especially so on the weekends). It is not uncommon to wait for 30 minutes for a 4-top table and booths are cramped. I've had lunch there a couple of times and would not recommend lunch at all (order from the breakfast menu). Everything I've had at lunch was greasy and unremarkable. Pluses: Big portions Staff is mostly friendly (but they are inconsistent) Minuses: Big portions coffee is terrible Can be a long wait for a table Bacon is meh. Breakfast is not cheap Lunch is terrible Omlettes are inconsistently cooked because they are so big. many of the dishes lack flavor and are bland Service is spotty / inconsistent They don't do special orders or substitutions (actually they do when it suites them...which is even more frustrating). My most recent experience at 12th Ave (which included a server who was very rude and breakfast that was cold) actually forced me to rediscover the joy of getting up early on Sunday morning and making breakfast. read more

Now this is a fabulous breakfast place! Friendly staff, delicious food & quick service. My husband & I tried them out & liked it so much we had to come back with the whole family the very next day. Their Montana & Vegetana are delicious & everybody else thoroughly enjoyed their food. We will def be back for sure! read more

12th Ave. Cafe - Small vegetana - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Issaquah, Washington

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Two words.... Montana potatoes! If you go there, you have to try them. They are like a loaded baked potatoes mixed with a breakfast hash. So good. This cute little diner is quick, easy and everything you look for in a breakfast spot. Defiantly not the hipster, avocado toast type vibe if that's what you're aiming for. Instead they serve hearty food at a great price. read more

This is our go-to breakfast joint! I am not generally a pancake person, but I find myself daydreaming about their flapjacks! Kid friendly, SUPER nice staff, great food.... I usually get a Medium Montana breakfast and by the time I'm stuffed you can't even tell by looking at the plate that I've eaten any, good thing the leftovers reheat well. I think they keep odd hours? Check before you head in. read more

The friendly service, the food, the wide selection of food, the location, fast service... Their lemonade, freshly baked rolls? --this is my MOST favorite place to eat - over my favorite Thai place even. Not an exciting review but I insist this place is 5/5 stars- I come here every time I get the chance, and I live over 25 miles a away!! read more

This is place is usually pack by the time I get here so coming any later during the day shouldn't be an option. The times I've gone here, I always get the Montana which is perfect b/c it comes with 3 different sizes. I always order the small size which OMG! looks like its a medium and I barely can get thru half of it plus eating my side of biscuits. Their portions are huge and everything tastes great! My dad got their pancake special and my mom got the Veggie version of the Montana plus her side of pancakes and my sister got their french toast special which none of us can finish our food. The only complaint is the size of their cafe is pretty squishy.. gotta need some elbow room to eat and walk to the entrance/exit. When you first get seated they ask you right away with a coffee pot in their hand if you want coffee. They charge you if you say "yes" which isn't a big deal but to others it may be if they didn't know that they would be charged for it. Other than that, this place is great when you want a good big brunch. :) read more

Faux 50s diner in a strip mall next to a used record store and a soon to be dead Blockbuster. I've been here probably 10 times in the 3 years I've lived in Issaquah. I keep wanting to give them a shot 'cause there's no diner-type eggs and potatoes breakfast here that isn't a national chain. Yep, giant portions of food. None of it very good. Breakfast isn't hard but I'm too lazy to make it myself most weekends. Fry eggs in butter with a hint of salt. Beat them with milk and salt. Maybe add some meat. How can they consistently turn out bland. (I think the cooks don't salt anything, good for your health maybe, but bad for taste.) Service is very erratic. Not to go all Mr. Pink but my coffee has been empty for an entire meal here more than once. I still hate chains but when I can get better food for $20 cheaper for a family of four at the chain across the street, I'm done with 12th Ave. read more

I order a monthly breakfast for my office, which I usually order enough for 25 people. It's the third time I have done this, and I can't say how wonderful Gary and his people are... courteous, helpful, and of course, they deliver a fantastic product! I receive biscuits, sausage, bacon, Montana Potatoes (YUM!), scrambled eggs, and all the fixings!!! They even helped load my car! Strongly recommend their catering, and can honestly say sitting there and having a meal is just as great! Two Thumbs up! read more

If you like flies and subpar food, you've come to the right place. We were seated at a dirty table complete with dishes and the previous customers' bill. Five minutes later, water comes and finally the table is cleaned. Husband orders a Contractor's Omelette and I order the half Egg Salad Sandwich with a bowl of Clam Chowder. Food arrives and doesn't look too bad. First bite of my egg salad sandwich, I discovered that it was made by frying a couple of eggs to over medium and then slabbing some good ole mayo on wheat bread... What? Clam chowder was bland and tasteless. Husband's "5-egg" was more like a 2-egg omelette complete with a plethora of ham, onions, green peppers, olives and green onions just sitting cold inside this skinny egg wrap. Growing up in Issaquah during the 90's, the 12th Avenue Cafe was well-known for decent food. That all changed moving into the new millennium... Looks like that hasn't changed in 15 years. Try your luck for breaky at the Issaquah Cafe or the Egg & Us. read more

3.5 stars, really. Pretty good food, and huge portions as people have stated. I think they charge a sharing fee. I've had the Montana scramble before and I don't recall liking it as much as the scrambles I've had at the Issaquah Cafe. This time, I had the Mexican Eggs, and they were pretty yummy. Pancakes are also delicious and a good size. My boyfriend noticed that the syrup looked like it was watered down, though, which is pretty lame. The least enjoyable part of the meal was the environment. They squeeze a lot of tables in a small space, and during the weekends they're all full. Our table for two was inches from the next table, ridiculously close. And to make matters worse, on the other side, the booths were only about two feet away, and one of them had a high chair next to it. So I felt sandwiched in, and people would have to squeeze by every so often, making me worried that someone would accidentally brush my food with a jacket or something... ugh. Would be better if we could have gotten a booth. read more

I was disappointed with 12 ave. We got there and waited for someone to acknowledge us, after ten mins someone asked "do you want a table?" Oh me? no I just wanted to sit down here and look at this menu because I was looking for a good read. ANYWAYS it wasn't very busy and we still ended up waiting for 15-20 mins to be acknowledged by our waitress who was not personable or friendly to us. I ordered a burger (should've gone to five guys next door) and my boyfriend got the chicken fried steak.. blech no thank you. He described it as smothered and saturated in grease and had no Flavor except for said grease. Ew. My burger was equally if not more unbearable. It tasted like a plastic toy but also as if it had been sitting in old grease for days. I could only stomach a few bites then gave up. The best part is that I had to pay 33.00 freaking dollars for this disgusting display of debauchery. On top of the restaurant experience I managed to get sick after eating here for the rest of a perfectly good Saturday. I also managed to miss a family dinner due to being sick from my food. TOTES COOL Completely terrible experience and will never eat here again nor recommend to anyone. I'll keep my business at Issaquah cafe! read more

Came here with my boyfriend on a week day, and we were lucky to be seated immediately. We both got the Montana, I the small and him the large. It was exactly what we wanted for breakfast, a large serving of delicious potatoes, veggies, cheese, bacon, ham, and green onions. If you're looking to go to town on breakfast, this is where you come. We had excellent service and the aviation decor is fun; I can see how this place gets busy on the weekends! read more

12th Ave. Cafe - Large and small Montana! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Issaquah, Washington

The Montana breakfast, for the win!! Seriously, everything you'd want on one plate and it comes in diff sizes. The small is def enough for two (IMO) with maybe a side of something else. Love this place and I always get the same thing when I come. The service is so friendly and I really just enjoy this place! read more

I had the garden fresh omelet with a buttermilk biscuit and coffee after a strenuous hike at Tiger Mountain. The Good: Frequent coffee refills Large portions (5 egg omelet anyone?) Decent biscuit Fresh jam Pretty good potatoes The Bad: "Mini moos" instead of fresh half & half for the coffee Crowded $2.50 fee for real maple syrup Kinda watery omelet (which is really just egg cooked up hard and wrapped around warm veggies and cheese - don't get me started on this) Overall this is probably one of the better options in Issaquah, although I wouldn't know as I am not usually there. However I would not recommend you make any extra effort to get here for fine but not spectacular brunch. read more

We are having a difficult time understanding all the rave reviews. Cinnamon roll.. Dry, microwaved, ugh raisins! Italian sausage omelet no cheese.. Oh gross nasty old mushrooms inside of it. The sausage was dry. The egg part tasted like it was poured from a box, like egg beaters, or processed whole eggs.. Yuck. The potatoes on the plate that came with it were COLD, not cooked through, and why the hell would you put green peppers in your nasty potatoes? Chicken fried steak.. The steak thing was good. COLD potatoes, and the scrambled eggs tasted like cardboard. Gross. The biscuit was over cooked, cut in half and toasted and buttered for us (weird!). Overall, for our $30 breakfast, we would have been more satisfied at McDonalds! At least there you are expecting subpar food. But atleast at McDs it is hot! We won't return. My breakfast has been trying to come back at me all day.. Ugh read more

We had to wait about a half hour for a table for brunch at 11 on a Saturday. There was a coffee station set up outside, but the only cups there were dirty. When we left, it was in the same condition. We were seated at a 2-top, being a party of 2, but soon thereafter were asked to move. The table that was seated right after us, two adult men, and 4 adolescent females, were in fact too large to all fit in the booth they were seated at, and asked restaurant staff to move us to meet their needs. I wasn't too nuts about having to move, but the big people had a place to eat their food at least. Otherwise the service was fine. The food, on the other hand, was awful. My flavorless omelet with flavorless potatoes, seemed downright delicious after I tasted my dining partner's super-flavorless biscuits and gravy. The OJ was from concentrate. It was just not good food, and I'll not be visiting again. read more

Honestly the food is good but it's not worth dealing with one of their waitresses. I order for pickup almost every day I work, and somehow she always seems to be working and she makes it an unpleasant experience. She completely ignores anyone that walks through the door, which makes you feel like you're intruding or something. Like - Today I ordered for pickup, walked in, didn't see my food so I sat down to wait, and then sat there for a half hour. Only for her to walk over and tell me oh, someone must have taken your food and we'll make it now. Like okay, that's not her fault, but why would a customer have to sit and wait for 30 minutes without even so much as a hello or a nod from you to get that issue cleared up?! If she had acknowledged my existence any sooner I wouldn't have waited 40 minutes for a mistake that only took 10 to fix. She gets in your personal space once she does walk over, too, which is always annoying to me but during covid it's like - wow. I had to actually lean away from her one day because she was like, startlingly close. Like abnormally close even not during a pandemic. I don't know but she makes this place not worth it to me, Issaquah Cafe is insanely friendly, never ignores you and it's closer anyway so... yeah. Sucks because this place has better bacon, but whatever. read more

If you happen to be in (or near) Issaquah, this is an awesome place for breakfast. Usually breakfast menus are super-egg-heavy, which is bad for me, since I hate eggs. But here they have the "Montana special", a huge plate of fried potatoes, onions, peppers, bacon, tomatoes, ham, cheddar, and sour cream, with a side of pancakes. It was totally the breakfast I needed. Everyone else's food was great too. It's a small place, so you might have to wait. It's worth it. read more

B E S T B R E A K F A S T ever!!! Anyone who doesn't give this place 5 stars is either battling a cranky hangover or is a not knower. There is simply nothing better than a big pile of Montana potatoes and yummy italian sausage though there are some who argue that it is their pancakes that make The 12th so special. Regardless, this is one of the few place where everyone in my family leaves happy...my 20 year old son to my 70 year old father. We are eaters and this is good eatin! They are always quick and always friendly. In the 15 years we have been eating here the only bummer experiences that we have had are due to the excessive number of people competing for seats! It is always disappointing to have to wait for 20 minutes before sitting down to their tasty coffee! But wait! Problem solved! They have coffee ready for those waiting! They think of everything! Hooray for the 12Th Ave. Cafe! read more

As a vegetarian, I am used to being disappointed at some restaurants. However, when there's a vegetarian item on a menu, especially one featured in big fat letters on a menu, I expect it to be decent. Again, my expectations, low as they are, were dashed, or met. It sucked, as I expected, but hoped otherwise. I had the vegetana. Had as much flavor as the napkin would have had. A bunch of little pieces of lack luster veggies, primarily potatoes and zucchini (which do not belong here) with a dusting of cheese and plop of blah sour cream on top. I was really hungry so I ate about a third. For $12.99 for the small serving it's robbery. Our server was also about as un-engaged as humanly possible. Uggh never again. read more

I took my daughter here for dinner, it was her first visit. She was so excited that they serve breakfast all day! She ordered the traditional breakfast with scrambled eggs - she got fried eggs, but other than that it was good. I had soup and salad, they have great salads here! The soup of the night was vegetable beef barley and it was the best I've ever had! Seriously! Filled with vegetables and lots of beef! I tried to recreate it at home yesterday because I couldn't stop thinking about it. Can't wait to go back - may call ahead to see if that's the soup of the night. ;-) read more

We've been going to 12th Ave Cafe from the time it opened on 12th Ave. So to experience two disappointing lunches in a week is unusual. Especially this past Friday, my husband ordered a half order of biscuits and gravy, no potatoes. He got a full order and ate a quarter of it. I ordered a half BLT, it was skimpy, not the generous portion I usually expect from 12th Ave. I would have done with less fries or no fries for generous portions of bacon and tomato and crisp lettuce that wasn't wilting. And I voted for you! read more

Picked up breakfast here on a day I was randomly craving eggs and breakfasty-items. Food tasted blah. A microwaved meal might have more flavor. Also ended up feeling sick the entire day afterwards. Thanks a lot, 12th Ave. I'm going back to Issaquah Cafe. read more

We've been here for breakfast, and its been meh. Huge portions, but who wants to eat a lot of something that isn't that good? We ended up here for dinner because our brains were tired and we didn't have any better ideas. I ordered a Dr. Pepper and the waitress brought me a Sprite. I ordered my dinner with potato salad and ended up with onion rings. So, I guess the service: not so good. But really, the big huge insult was the reuben. It came with a ton of swiss cheese, and no 1000 island type dressing. So, basically a chewy corned beef melt on rye. Yuck! read more

Solid.... Liked portion sizes, good flavors, fresh, piping hot off the grill, swift, efficient service. I had the fresh omelet, with a slice of sourdough- served hot with a lot of flavor. He had the chicken fried steak -- steak was perfectly cooked, the gravy could have a little more flavor, scrambled eggs with cheese well cooked. And a Mickey Mouse pancake for the little dude. Wished there were more options on the menu; but still a solid choice for a weekend breakfast in Issaquah! read more

One of the best places for breakfast I've ever been to. Ever. Great, efficient service but you dont feel rushed, delicious food. No dinner on Mondays and Tuesday, and they don't take reservations, but its worth the wait. Groups should expect to wait a while on weekends! read more

As a frequenter of 12th Ave, I have to say I am very grateful to have such a wonderful breakfast hub here in Issaquah. The golden combination of excellent service, delicious food, and a friendly staff is the key to what keeps me coming back time after time. I've ordered quite the variety off their menu, from both breakfast and lunch menus, and have yet to experience a dish that was dissatisfying. My personal favorite is the hamburger dip, as I had never even thought to dip my burger in au jus sauce - brilliant. 12th Ave may or may not be the inventors of this stroke of genius, but they sure do know how to serve it right. 12th ave's overall cozy atmosphere creates the perfect, calm and casual environment for any meal of the day, even when they are busy. Will be returning for years to come :) **I do have to say that I saw some other reviews here that mention a less than friendly staff and I have to say this is unbelievably untrue. Every time I walk through the doors I feel like I am practically family. Some of the very best people will serve you here. read more

This is my favorite breakfast spot on the eastside. I almost always get the Montana Special (its huge, I can barely finish a small) with avocado on it. I have tried other breakfasts there and never been disappointed. Can't comment on Lunch though, never eaten it here. If you are looking for a great place to eat breakfast and are willing to wait for a table (this place is always packed) go to the 12th Ave. If you have no standards for the quality of food you put in your body and don't want to wait for a table, go across the street to Denny's and enjoy the diarrhea you will have in 2 hours. read more

A solid "meh". I had a medical appointment in Issaquah and had an hour to kill, so headed on over to the 12th Ave Cafe. Easy to find, right on Gilman. I ordered an egg special that was eggs, home fries and a biscuit. I ordered my eggs scrambled. I don't know what I was served, but it did not taste like real eggs. I ate two bites and decided that was not for me. The home fries were the best part of the meal, very tasty. The biscuit... I must be a biscuit snob because I just didn't like theirs. It was served cut in half and grilled, and it was drenched in "I Can't Believe It's not Butter" or some other fake butter spread. I normally put jam on my biscuit but the way they serve jam here isn't sanitary, so that was not an option for me. My husband had the pigs in a blanket, he did like his. Overall, it was okay but not a place I'd likely return to. It was also extremely loud in here, they were blasting Christmas music and I was seated under the speaker. read more

Absolutely average. Service was good, but nothing outstanding. Food was funny....a few items (potatoes, biscuit/gravy) were fantastic while others (coffee, scrambled eggs) were horrible. Averaged out to mediocre. read more

After leaving the new house early (before 5am) and still hitting heavy traffic through Tacoma on the way out of town I needed a break for food (and to let the sun rise) after getting gas in Issaquah. (FYI - Issaquah has a very cute downtown area - almost too cute!) The place I was trying to find via the Yelp app appears to not be there anymore but I stumbled upon 12 Ave. Walk in grab a table and within a few minutes a menu appears. I opt for the usual 2 eggs over easy, potatoes and wheat toast - unfortunately they don't have the classic shredded hashbrowns that I love to death but their potatoes are combined with onions and bell pepper before serving. Eggs were perfect, toast was dry as ordered and the plate was not a greasy mess. Coffee was regularly topped off. Worth a stop if you are in the area but I would not be surprised if this place was very busy on weekends. I was in and out fairly quickly in spite of there being only one waitress. read more

Great breakfast spot in the Issaquah area. Typical diner type food and fairly fast service. crowded weekends for breakfast. My fav is the trucker combo with scram eggs! read more

12th Ave. Cafe - Trucker combo with scram eggs and bacon. Good stuff - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Issaquah, Washington

LOVE the Montana special!!! Seriously the breakfast here is great and the Montana special is a must try. I've been going here for years and every time I bring in a newbie they are immediately a fan of this tasty dish. The service here has always been really good for me. I've got no complaints! read more

This place is great. Its like a small-town diner in the middle of the shopping mall. Expect there to be a line. In fact, what we do now is that we just drive by if we are in the mood and don't even bother if there is a line of people. Going at odd times can really help though. Just don't bother between 10 and noon on a Sunday for instance. Also, my recommendation, go for the half omelet as well. It still has 3 eggs in it. The large has 5! Finally, don't expect the coffee to really light your fire. Its just Boyd's. :( But if you like comfort breakfast food that's fast (once you get a seat) and well-prepared, then this place is for you! If you are going to target, REI, Safeway, Bed Bath and Beyond, or just about any other shopping on Gilman, keep this place on your list to scope out as you cruise by. read more

Classic American diner. It's a small space so weekends can have a wait for a breakfast table. Charming 50s decor with old planes on the walls and an open area to see the kitchen. Dinner specials every night. Their Friday night prime rib is spectacular. The chicken fried steak is great as well. But they're best at breakfast which they serve all day. Big scrambles, omelets, quiche, and French toast and all of it delicious. Great local place any time! read more

My family comes to 12th Ave Cafe quite often. I usually get breakfast and my husband has tried several things but really loves the Chicken Parmesan. Servers are always very friendly and the food comes out quick and hot. Just what you would expect. LOVE their freezer jam! Delish! I would definitely recommend 12th Ave to anyone that wants a good meal read more

Worst Service ever. EVER. You would think restaurants would do what they could to provide a quality experience in these crazy times we are living in. Unfortunately - the manager on duty this morning at 12th St Cafe could care less about ensuring his customers are comfortable. In short / I wanted to take my mom out for a nice breakfast to honor and thank her for all she's doing to make our Thanksgiving special. Upon arrival there was a small 2 group wait. We were directed to a table directly across from the front door. The super chilly weather created a freezing wind tunnel each time the door was opened. Our Server was patient and helpful HOWEVER when she attempted to help us move to a table away from the cold wind coming in - she brought news back that the manager said flat out no OR, only offering, we go back on the Wait List - although there were open tables AND we had already ordered our food. More insulting - When I asked to speak to the manager directly - he intentionally delayed coming over to discuss our situation. Never has my mom or I been treated so poorly. I used to love bringing all my out of town visitors to 12th St - especially those coming in from Montana (the unique Montana menu items are a favorite). But due to the outrageously negative interaction with the manager - we won't be going back. We left without eating. Thank goodness the Issaquah Cafe just down the street provided the kind of service one would expect. No wonder they've been in business for 88+ yrs at that location. The 12th Cafe management should go take a few lessons in customer service from them. Wildly disappointed. read more